lampreys
Bloodsucking water serpents
Lampreys is the plural of lamprey, an eel-like jawless fish with a circular, sucker-like mouth lined with teeth.
Lampreys attach to other fish and feed on their blood and tissue.
Some species are parasitic pests in the Great Lakes; others are considered a delicacy in parts of Europe.
The sea lampreys decimated the lake trout population.
Without a mandible
- suckerEasily fooled person
- cartilageFlexible connective body tissue
- gillsAquatic respiratory organs
- slimeThick wet gunk
teeth · nostril · fin · notochord · anticoagulant · skeletal · pharynx · esophagus
Very old indeed
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- PaleozoicEarly complex-life epoch
- DevonianGeologic period, 419-359 million years ago
- living-fossilUnchanged ancient species
primitive · hagfish · Cambrian · origin · basal · phylogeny · evolution · Silurian
Immature metamorphosing creatures
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- spawnAquatic eggs or generate
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- anadromousMigrating upstream to breed
filter-feeder · burrow · riverbed · sediment · estuary · upstream · migration · nest
Extracting blood for nourishment
- hostOne receiving guests
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- suctionPulling via pressure difference
- woundCoiled, or an injury
scar · ectoparasite · prey · infestation · feeding · drain · rasp · anemia
jawless
Without a mandible
slime · teeth · nostril · fin · notochord · anticoagulant · skeletal · pharynx · esophagus · branchial
ancient
Very old indeed
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- PaleozoicEarly complex-life epoch
- DevonianGeologic period, 419-359 million years ago
living-fossil · primitive · hagfish · Cambrian · origin · basal · phylogeny · evolution · Silurian · prehistoric
larvae
Immature metamorphosing creatures
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- spawnAquatic eggs or generate
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
anadromous · filter-feeder · burrow · riverbed · sediment · estuary · upstream · migration · nest · transformation
bloodsucking
Extracting blood for nourishment
- hostOne receiving guests
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- suctionPulling via pressure difference
wound · scar · ectoparasite · prey · infestation · feeding · drain · rasp · anemia · invasive
delicacy
Refined sensitivity or rarity
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
- PortugueseOf a western Iberian nation
- BordeauxFrench port and vineyard area
smoked · pickled · traditional · eel-like · fatty · rich · European · Galician · Finnish · Baltic